You Make Me Wanna
by lita rocks LbC
Summary: Now what's bad is you're the one that hooked us up knowing it should've been you. What's sad is I love her but I'm falling for you. Shelby/Carly. Eventually CAM. Rating may or may not go up. SongFic; Usher - You Make Me Wanna.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I don't own anyone or anything related to iCarly.

**AN**: So I've been working on this for a while now. It was going to be a one-shot, but as I started typing it out it just got longer and longer. I've decided to turn this into a multi-chapter story instead. _Each chapter/scene will change point of views, it won't be difficult to tell when. Rather easy to recognize the change in POV's._ This first chapter is just a set-up, a prologue, if you will. The whole thing will probably be about 10 – 15 chapters. Updates will come quicker, I promise. Lol. Anyway, enjoy and review when you're done! Happy Reading.

– Sam's POV –

"Man, she's so hot," I heard Shelby murmur while staring across the expanse of the Groovy Smoothie with a longing look in her eyes.

"Who?" I asked, following her line of sight and landing on my oldest and dearest best friend, Carly Shay. "Carly?" I threw at the MMA champ with a confused look on my face.

"Uh huh," she answered, her face adopting that of one Freddie Benson when he used to stare at Carly that way. "She's so hot," she murmured under her breath. Her breathing went uneven when Carly turned our way and locked eyes with mine before smiling widely. Thankfully Shelby was so caught up in Carly's beauty she didn't notice the pink that graced my face along with my own hitch of the breath. "Think you can hook me up?" Shelby asked after Carly got up to throw her empty cup away and sauntered out of the store.

The question broke me out of my trance as I watched Carly's hip sway from side to side. I turned to Shelby abruptly. "With Carly?!" I exclaimed louder than necessary. My heart dropped to the bottom of my stomach when she nodded in response. That's it, I'll never have a chance with the love of my life now. Not when Shelby Marx is my competition. I sighed and shrugged, "Sure, why not?"

**AN**: So any idea what's gonna happen? Leave a review and tell me what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything that you may recognize from iCarly. I do own this story though. Yay!

**AN**: See! I told you it'll be quicker updates, didn't I? I actually had nothing else to do, so I'm going to post this up. Lol. Thank you for all the reviews! They make me happy. Loving the guesses, too. Haha. If you haven't heard the song by Usher yet, then I suggest you do! Maybe it'll help you guess where things will go. Teehee! Happy Reading.

– **Carly's POV –**

"Hey, Carls," a quiet voice said to the right of my, catching me by surprise. When I turned to my right, a smile grew on my face at the sight of my best friend. She looked rather suspicious, looking over her shoulder as if someone or something was coming after her. The thought cleared from my mind as soon as we locked eyes and she stopped fidgeting, giving me a smile.

"Hey, Sam," I greeted. "What's up?" I asked. Normally she wasn't so quiet, if she wanted my attention she would have forced it, so this whole being quiet thing was rather weird.

"Not much, really..." she trailed off, a teasing glint in her eyes. "Though word around the hallways state otherwise." She finished off with a smirk.

"Oh, god. You didn't spread a rumor or anything, did you?" I asked, exasperated. This girl could never not stay out of trouble. She rolled her eyes and I fixed her a stern glare.

"No, cupcake dearest, I didn't start a rumor," she sighed in aggravation. "Rather, a fact that people think is a rumor," she quipped, her eyes dancing in delight.

"Sam," I sighed.

"Carly," she mocked. "Fine...," she relented like a child giving up her favorite toy. The resemblance made me smile. "Word on the street –" I cut her off to say 'hallways', she rolled her eyes and continued, "_hallways_ is a certain MMA fighting champ has the hots for a certain co-host of our show," she said, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

I thought about it for a while, because I just take a while longer than others to process things, not because I'm slow or anything, and a few moments later my eyebrows shot way above my hairline. "Shelby Marx has a thing for you?!" I asked, or rather exclaimed loudly causing students within the vicinity to stop and stare. Sam threw everyone who stopped a glare and they quickly dispersed, not wanting to be victim of her famous Texas Wedgie, nor find themselves on the receiving end of her fist.

"No, stu –," she caught herself as I lowered one of my eyebrows and gave her a challenging look, "stupendously smart friend of mine ..." she went with instead. She sighed and shook her head at the triumphant look on my face. "She has a thing for _you_," she specified.

"Huh? Who? Wha? Me?!" I sputtered, slack jawed and disbelieving.

Sam laughed and threw an arm over my shoulder. I had to slouch down a bit, since she was a few inches shorter than me, and when I did she reunited my lower and upper jaw together with her fingers. "Don't be so surprised, cupcake," she laughed quietly before adding in a much more quieter, almost inaudible tone, "she'd be a fool not to have a thing for you." The shock from her earlier statement washed away and I turned my head to give her a questioning look. There were no sadness in her eyes, just that playfulness I was used to, and within seconds it was as if she hadn't spoken so softly in the first place. "So what do you say? Give her a chance, huh?" she brought me closer to her and gave a gentle squeeze.

"I don't know, Sam..." I answered, unsure. "She's not really my type."

"Are you kidding me? She's Shelby Marx! She's _everyone's_ type!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms off of me and flailing it around, as if that would prove her point. I slapped her arms away from mine and eventually grabbed onto her wrist, stilling her motions.

"Is she _your_ type?" I challenged.

"Well... no," Sam answered sheepishly. I shook my head. "But she's the bad girl type, your favorite!" she tried to persuade. "I mean, she's got a soft spot for her gran'ma, but doesn't everyone? And it's not like she has a collection of Pee Wee babies." We both shuddered at this. "She probably has a collection of belts and trophies and ooh... gold medals," she said with a far off expression on her face. Shiny things always did catch her attention.

I smiled fondly at her and pulled the sleeves of my shirt over my hands before dabbing at the corner of her mouth. "Careful there, Sam, don't want to drown the school's population with your drool," I joked before she scowled and pushed my hand away.

"So what'cha say, Shay?" Sam asked, staring at me intently.

"She scares me," I admitted. "I mean she only gets aggressive if people fall over on her gran'ma and when she's in the octagon, but what if one day I piss her off and she uses my face as a punching bag?" I asked thoughtfully. I could still feel the impact of her punch when her fist connected with my jaw all those months ago and shuddered. My hand unconsciously went to where she punched me and I felt Sam take my hand gently into hers and rubbed her thumb across my palm. I shivered at the soft and soothing touch.

"Don't worry. I won't let her do anything like that. I'd let her lay my ass out before she can ever put a hand on you, again." Sam assured me, giving my hand a little squeeze before dropping my hand altogether. The sincere look in her baby blue orbs made me believe her and I nodded my head. "I just want you to be happy, and honestly I think Shelby would make you happy," she said quietly, looking away from my eyes as she said this. She seemed almost sad, but that thought was whisked away when she looked at me with a smile on her face.

"Alright, fine," I gave in. "I'll give her a chance, but I'm warning you! The first sign of aggression, I'm gonna break up with her!" I warned seriously.

She laughed and shook her head. "No worries. The first sign of aggression will find a ham bone stuck up her ass," she promised gleefully.

"Only you, Puckett," I said around an amused smile, "only you."

**AN**: Thank you for reading! Leave a review, please. K, thanks!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: I don't own anyone or anything you recognize.

**AN**: Whoo hoo! Another update =) thank you SO much for all of the reviews! They make me smile =D here's another update for all of my lovely readers out there. You keep doing you, and I'll keep doing me! Well, that sounded wrong. I meant I'll keep uhhh writing for you all =) yay! Happy Reading!

– **Sam's POV –**

"You're staring again," the ever so dorkiest Freddie pointed out one late afternoon at the Groovy Smoothie. I frowned, growled and turned away from the image in front of me to lean against the counter where we were sitting. "I can't believe you gave her up, just like that," he said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I don't know what you're talking about Benson," I said gruffly, shoving the straw of my smoothie into my mouth and slurping loudly.

"You damn well know what I'm talking about, Puckett, stop playing dumb," he accused, sliding his half-empty cup of smoothie from one hand to the other on the counter. "You practically handed her to the enemy," he stated, still shaking his head. I bit down on my straw, biting back a rude response, and gave him a murderous look. He gave me a pointed look and drank from his smoothie. "You don't scare me no more, Sam. Melanie'd have your ass if you tried anything," he said smugly, using the sister card on me.

I smacked him upside the head, bursting his little bubble and wiping the smug look off his face. "First of all, Carly's not an item that's been passed around. Got it?" I growled through clenched teeth as he balled up slightly and nursed his injured head. "Look at her, she's happy." My demeanor changed and I looked over my shoulder at the happy go lucky couple sitting in the corner booth all the way at the other side of the restaurant. "Plus, Shelby can give her things that I never could," I said in a tone that dismissed anything else he would have said. "And second of all," my demeanor changed again and I bobbed a finger in front of his face with a scowl, "don't you ever use the sister card on me. I could care less what Melanie would do to me if I hurt her precious dork."

"Okay, okay!" he gave up, holding up both of his hands in front of him in a surrendering kind of way. "And I'm sorry, on both counts," he apologized. "I still can't get it through my head that you hooked her up with someone that wasn't you," he explained.

"Yeah, well.. you best believe it. I done did it and there's no way I could undo what I just did because it's been done," I said with a sigh.

"I don't wanna believe it, because if _you_ did it then there's a chance that you can undo what you've just done and make it seem like you've never done did it at all," he paused to take a deep breath, "I mean, c'mon, you're Sam Puckett for crying out loud! You get away with _all kinds_ of stuff." He made sure to emphasize the all kinds.

"I don't think I could get away with anything this time," I protested. When he was about to say something, I continued cutting him off. "_I_ hooked them up, it'll make _me_ look like a jackass if I broke them apart because of _my_ feelings," I explained, hands cupping face and cup of melted smoothie long forgotten. "I'd rather have unrequited love than be dubbed a home wrecker and have people talk bad about Carly."

"Sam...," Freddie sighed in a sad tone. He put a hand on my back, and even if I couldn't see his face, I knew he was worried if this action was helpful or not by the way the touch felt tense. I was too emotionally drained that I didn't lash out at him for touching me. "You can't do this to yourself. I know you won't admit it, but it's really killing you," he said quietly. "I've noticed the change in you these last two months, and honestly I miss the _old_ you. I mean look at this picture!" He exclaimed. I picked my head up and saw him gesturing between the hand on my back and me with his free hand. "You're not even abusing me right now!" He stated in some sort of disturbed awe.

"Oh, Benson," I chuckled, tapping his cheek. "You seriously need some help if you miss getting abused by me, of all people."

His mouth opened to say something, but instead of his voice floating through my ears it was Carly's. "Everything alright here?" I tensed up, Freddie and I turned around at the same time to see Carly standing there with a look of concern, amusement, and wonder swirling in her chocolate brown eyes. Her eyes went from Freddie, Freddie's hand on my back, and to my eyes.

Feeling self-conscious I shrugged his hand off of my back and straightened up. "Everything is fine," I waved her emotions away. "Fredwad here just admitted to liking the way I lay my hands on him," I explained with a playful glint in my eyes and a smirk on my face.

"NO!" He exclaimed, throwing a glare at me before giving Carly an almost pleading-like look. "I was just saying how Sam hasn't been the sa –," I cut him off before he could finish by elbowing him in the side. I emphasized my disapproval by yanking on a fistful of hair discreetly. "OW! Sam!" Freddie cried, gripping onto his side with one arm while the other tended to his hair.

"See, cries of delight," I said, throwing him a glare before turning innocent eyes onto Carly.

She narrowed her eyes in suspicion, glances moving from me to Freddie, before she lightened up and shook her head. "Well, anyway... Shelby and I were about to go watch a movie, would you guys like to come?" Even though the question was aimed at the both of us, she was staring at me.

Before I could even think of what I was doing, I shook my head, rejecting her offer. "Nah, I can't. I've got something planned already," I informed her, doing a great job of acting like I was seriously sad.

"Really?" Freddie and Carly asked at the same time, unbelieving. I rolled my eyes at their shock and shook my head.

"Yeah, really," I answered in annoyance. "Wendy called and asked if I wanted to hang out later," I informed, which was true but didn't give her a definite answer.. I guess I've got my answer now.

"What are you guys gonna do?" Carly asked cautiously, suspiciously almost.

I sighed and hung my head. "I don't know. Go to a party, get drunk, vandalize public property then make out heavily?" I replied with the shrug of my shoulders. "OW!" I exclaimed when Carly slapped my shoulder. "Jeez, Shay, haven't you ever heard of sarcasm?" I mumbled, and despite the stinging in my arms I looked at her and gave her a goofy smile.

"You stay outta trouble, do you hear me?" she demanded with an assertive look in her eyes. "I don't wanna get a call from you in some jail cell or from some of the students from school saying you're in the hospital, do you understand me?" Her assertive tone made every bone in my body melt. Imagine if she spoke like this to me in bed? Oh man.. "Sam!" I snapped out of my stupor and gave her a dumb look. "Ugh, forget it. Just stay outta trouble for me, 'k?" Before I could answer she stepped in between my legs and gave me a kiss on the cheek before embracing me in a brief hug.

The smell of lavender and lilacs floated around me even after she was long gone. "God, you are so in love with her. _Everyone_ can see it. Shelby threw a dirty look at you before Carly turned around and led her out of the store." Freddie's voice said, but it was sort of like a buzzing sound in my ear as I took in the scent that clung onto my shirt and made me light headed.

"Everyone but her," I sighed sadly after a few moments.

**AN**: omgosh, Freddie and Sam actually getting along?! Lol. Let's say that they're older now, senior's in high school, and Sam has mellowed out A LOT. I mean, people grow outta that phase of _hitting_ people, I know I have. Now I'm the one getting abused =( haha. Anyway. Thank you for reading! Review, please! Each and every one of your reviews make me happy, it's rather sad, actually -__-.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything or anyone you recognize. The lyrics belong to B.o.B.

**AN**: Sorry the chapters are so short, but I did say they were... didn't I? Anyway, thanks for all the reviews, once again. ^_^ So uhh.. Happy Reading.

– **Carly's POV –**

Six months. That's how long we've been dating, and god, it's been amazing. I'd never felt so happy and content with life in so long. Shelby's been understanding and there for me every time I needed her. She's been so good to me, and I seriously think I'm about a hair's width away from falling in love with her.

She doesn't pressure me into doing things I'm not ready for. She understands that I'm not ready to have sex with her, and even if we get so close and I start getting nervous, she stops even when I know she just wants to push forward. I could see the disappointment in her eyes, but she's never said anything hurtful or call me a tease or anything.

I possibly think I really could fall in love with this girl. She's so caring, understanding, and sweet. If and when the situation calls for it, she'll get aggressive, possessive, and in your face. Luckily though, there hasn't been much of those situations.

"Hey, babe?" Shelby called from the stool at the breakfast bar in front of the computer, catching my attention. I turned away from the TV and looked at her, giving her my full attention. "Wanna get some BF Wangs?" She asked out of no where. One of the many things about her I found charming was the way she would spontaneously do things and go to places, and she'd always include me in whatever it was she wanted to do.

"Yeah, sure, why not? I'd like some chicken _wangs_ right now," I paused to smile, drawing out her reaction. When nothing came I sighed. "You know... chicken wings.. _wangs_? BF _Wangs_?" I tried to explain to her. She just gave me a blank look. Then there was the thing I disliked about her. She didn't understand any of my jokes, even after I explained it to her thoroughly. "Never mind, I'll go up and grab my jacket and purse."

As I made to get up to get to the stairs, she stood up and grabbed onto my arm. "It's fine, I've got an extra jacket in the car."

"Okay, I'll get my purse then."

"I'll pay."

"But-"

"No buts, I'll pay."

"Fine," I relented. She smiled and wrapped her arms around me. Just as she was about to lean down for a kiss, my phone started ringing.

"_hands down there will never be another one,  
I been around and I never seen another one.  
look at your style they ain't really got nothing on,  
and you out and you ain't got nothing on.  
baby you the whole package, plus you pay your taxes,  
and you keep it real while them other stay plastic.  
you're my wonder woman call me Mr. Fantastic.  
stop.. now think about it"_

Shelby moaned in disapproval and dropped her hands from my waist. "I really wish you'd change her ring tone," she complained as I stepped away from her and leaned down to pick up my phone. Before I answered I gave her warning look. This wasn't the first time she complained about the ring tone set for each and every time Sam called and sent me a text.

"Hey, Sam," I greeted.

"_How goes it, Cupcake?_"

"It's going," I answered. "What's up?"

"_It's been a while since we've hung out, was wondering if you wanted to grab a bite to eat or something_...?" she asked uncertainly. I felt my stomach drop to my feet and guilt stabbed at me. "_Carls?_" she called after a few seconds of silence. "_We don't have to if you don't want to, I was just asking, is all,_" she rambled on. The sadness and uncertainty in her voice broke me from my moment of zoning out.

"I'm sorry," I apologized. "I was about to go out to eat with Shelby at BF Wangs," I informed her. Silence hung thick in the air on her line and I removed the phone from my ear to see if the call was dropped. "Sam?"

"_I'm here._"

"Okay...," god this phone conversation was so awkward. "Would you like to come with us?" I finally asked. Shelby was immediately by my side shaking her head no, I ignored turned my back on her.

"_Nahh, it's fine. Maybe next time,_" her answer was soon followed by the dial tone. I stood there for a minute, staring at my phone in disbelief. Did she really just hang up with out saying bye? When the timer blinked repeatedly, showing how long the conversation was, and the screen went black my question was answered. She really did hung up without saying bye!

I can understand angry and hanging up without a proper goodbye, but just hanging up in the middle of a conversation? That's never happened before! I mean, I know we haven't really hung out in a while ever since I started going out with Shelby, and she feels left out... but jeez!

"So she's not coming with us, then?" Shelby asked in my ear, wrapping her strong arms around my waist from behind and placing her chin on my shoulder. I shook my head. "Great! Let's get going then," she said almost too happily, giving me a kiss on my cheek before dropping her arms from around me.

As she walked past me to get to the door, my phone vibrated in my hands. Before the ring tone could go off, I accepted the text message and smiled widely after reading the text.

"Babe, you ready?" She asked, standing at the door giving me an expectantly look. I nodded my head with a smile on my face and walked towards her after locking my phone and jamming it into my pocket. I walked over to her and gave her a lingering kiss on the lips. "Or we could just stay here and make out," she said suggestively after the kiss ended. I shook my head and giggled as I grabbed her hand and led the way out of my loft.

"_Sorry I just hung up on you, some asswipe bumped into me from behind & made me drop my fone. We'll hang out next time. Have fun grubbing on chicken wangs from bfwangs! =)_"

**AN**: lalalaaaaa... review. K, thanks!


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything.

**AN**: Happy Reading.

– **Sam's POV – **

"You did what?!" Freddie yelped, sitting up straighter at the park bench we were sitting on.

I shrugged. "It was an accident," I mumbled, fingering the gaps on the table top.

"You just said you hung up on her! You've never hung up on her before, even when you two were totally pissed off at each other," he exclaimed out loud into the gloomy and deserted park.

"Okay, so maybe my thumb really did press on the hang-up button, but she doesn't need to know that." I sighed. "I felt really bad afterwards and was gonna call her back, but some jerk-off bumped into me from behind and made me drop my phone," I explained. "I did text her an apology, if that means anything," I said, giving him a torn look.

"I bet you it meant a whole lot to Carly. You know how she is, probably thinking she did something wrong and beating herself up for whatever it is. I bet she smiled really big and sighed in relief after reading your text," he said softly. I just nodded my head.

I turned around on the bench until I was leaning back against the table and had my elbows rested on either side of me. I dropped my head back, closed my eyes against the cloudy sky, and breathed in deeply. "She seems happy with her," I said quietly. Freddie hummed in agreement and I turned my head to look at him. "Does she look happy with her?" I asked him seriously.

I should know. But I don't. The past four months have mostly consisted of me hiding and running away every time they're together. The only times I get Carly time is at school, even then she's constantly having a conversation via text messaging with Shelby, who has her own private tutor, so it isn't much. Other than that, we don't talk or see each other much. She spends every waking moment after school with her. When I say every moment after school, I mean it.

Shelby's there to pick her up in her fully loaded, decked out, red convertible sports car every single day after school is out. Every day, Carly sees her car, gets all excited, gives me a brief hug with the promise of talking to me later, and runs to the car. She never did talk to me later. We don't spend time or see each other after school at all, except for the occasional rehearsal and live web show. I leave right after we're done with both.

It hurt too much seeing her with the girl I hooked her up with.

"She's happy with her," he confirmed. "She... glows." That wasn't an exaggeration. Carly's been glowing non-stop ever since they started going out.

"That's all I ever want her to be," I said to no one in particular, nodding my head.

"What about _your_ happiness, Sam?" he asked quietly. I shrugged my shoulders and pushed myself out of my seat. I felt his eyes on me as I slowly made my way to the swing set. The metal was cold against my warm palm, and slightly drenched from the mist surrounding us. I wiped the rubbery plastic seat of any residual with my sleeves and sat down. The left over droplets of water seeped through the fabric of my jeans but I didn't care.

I dug my toes into the damp wood chips and slowly swung myself back and forth lightly. "If she's happy, I'm happy," I answered.

"Bullshit," Freddie growled. My heart actually skipped a beat when he grasped onto the metal chains on either side of me and stopped my movement. "Lies, Sam. Nothing but lies." He yanked me backwards, until my back was pressed against his front, and I grasped his hands where it was placed on the chain to steady myself. "Stop doing this to yourself!" he exclaimed, shaking the chain link. "I hate seeing you like this! You're not even yourself anymore!"

With gritted teeth, I flew off of the seat and turned around, swinging my left arm with me. My fist met his cheek and I loomed over him after he fell on his ass. "I'm HAPPY, damn it!" I yelled, angry, in his face as he nursed his already bruising cheek with wide eyes. "Don't tell me nothin', because you don't know nothin'!" I screamed. I could feel the muscles in my throat strain against my skin. God, when was the last time I actually harmed and yelled at this kid?

"I don't know nothing?!" Freddie erupted, sitting up. "I know exactly what's going on with you! Damn it, Sam, you're talking to the guy who was in love with Carly for most of his teenage years!" With one hand on his cheek, he used his free hand to push himself to his feet. "I knew it wouldn't work out, because I didn't _love_ her as much as _you_ love her! It was so obvious growing up, and I always gave a crack at trying to get her to love me, but it just wasn't enough. I could see it! She shouldn't be with anyone else, _but you_."

I calmed down considerately, felt as if my bones disintegrated in my body and wanted to fall onto my side to cry my eyes out. I settled for slumping my shoulders and hanging my head. "Try telling her that," I said hoarsely, on the verge of tears. This was too much for me. The emotions swirling in my head and heart has been bottling up for six months now, and I really felt as if I was about to break sometime soon.

"I will," Freddie said determinedly, "if you won't then, I will." I wanted to lash out at him, swing my left fist square into his face, but the look he gave me told me it wouldn't have done anything to change his mind.

"You wouldn't," I said, calling out his bluff.

"I would," he said seriously. "Tell me you'll tell her yourself, and I won't." He compromised.

"We'll see," I said nonchalantly.

"I swear I will," he swore, looking me dead in my eyes. I hadn't seen the determination in his eyes so intense since he tried to get that baby to laugh.

"Well, shit, Benson. Since when did you grow a backbone?"

"Since you cracked my god damned jaw," he mumbled, tenderly cupping his chin and trying to move his lower jaw around. "I think you broke it," he informed.

"Sorry," I shrugged and apologized sheepishly. "You should know better than to get in my personal space," I reminded him.

"So are you gonna do it yourself?"

"Do what?" I asked innocently. He gave me a look and I sighed. "Yeah, sure. Whatever stops the tears, doofus."

**AN**: after i post the rest of this story up, i'll be on hiatus from writing. i don't know how long or short it'll be, but i haven't been in the mood to write much. lucky for you all who are reading and following along with this story, i'm almost done with it. but yeah, just wanted everyone to know.

**PS**: Review. K, thanks.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of the characters you recognize. iCarly doesn't belong to me.

**AN**: I know. It's kinda slow. And there's not much CAM in this yet, but we'll get there! I promise. Here's a little family loving for everyone! Happy reading, yo.

– **Carly's POV –**

I was sitting downstairs on the couch watching re-runs of _Girly Cow_, enjoying some quiet Carly time, when Spencer barged into the loft with his arms filled with paper grocery bags, packed to the brim with items.

"Carly!" He exclaimed behind the mountain of what looked to be cream cheese. "Carly!!"

"I'm right here," I answered with an amused smile.

"Great! Can you help me?" he asked. I stood up and walked up to him. When I reached out to grab onto the middle bag he freaked out until I pulled it out of his grasp. "Oh, it's just you."

I shook my head and led the way to the kitchen, where the brown paper bags were placed on the table. "What's with all the cream cheese?" I asked in curiosity. I looked into every bag and they were all filled with boxes of cream cheese.

"T-Bo asked me to make a sculpture for him!" he explained happily. "So I'm gonna sculpt a bagel for him," he said excitedly, looking at me with wide eyes to gauge my reaction.

I just smiled uneasily and nodded my head, but I was confused. "And so you're gonna sculpt it out of... cream cheese?" I asked with a small frown.

"You don't... like my idea?" he asked sadly. The look on his face made guilt run throughout my body. "I figured since cream cheese and bagels go so well together..." he trailed off, looking into space with a sad look on his face.

"No! No no, I totally understand!" I quickly tried to make him feel better. "Really," I assured when he turned his head to look at me with hope in his eyes. "It's like that toast sculpture you... made... out of butter," my sentence dwindled down when tears formed in his eyes. "Oh god, I'm sorry! I forgot that Mr. Toasty didn't make it." No matter how many hours Spencer slaved over trying to resurrect the toast made out of butter, it was too late. The deadline was up and he didn't make it. Spencer was down in the dumps for about two hours before another person talked to him about another sculpture. It was a sad hour for everyone.

"His name was Toasty the Baker!" Spencer justified with a pout.

"Okay!" I said quickly, holding my hands up in front of me in surrender. "I'm sorry Toasty the Baker didn't make it. You won't have to worry this time, there's no blond here with mischief in her eyes to crank up the temperature and melt your sculpture to the ground."

"It was Sam?!" he exclaimed with wide eyes. "But she blamed Freddie!" I just stared at him like he was crazy for believing Sam, because he was. "Oh my god! I actually believed the master of lying," he hung his head and shook it sadly.

I actually laughed, because the whole thing was hilarious. "It's okay, we all do at some point," I assured him with a pat on the shoulder, but left out the part where I never fell for her lies.

"Speaking of the little devil, how is she?" he asked as he pulled through from the memory of his buttery friend. "I haven't seen her around in a while," he said observantly. "In fact, there's so much meat in here it seems as if she hasn't been around in years," he stated as he opened up the fridge and started pulling out packages and bags of meat.

I wanted to tell him that she was still the same, that she still went out and wrecked havoc around town, but I really couldn't. Truth of the matter was I hadn't hung out with her ever since things between Shelby and me got more serious. It's like she just disappeared out of my life and the only times I would see her was at school. I couldn't lie though, so I settled for the truth.

"I don't know," I answered with the shrug of my shoulders. "I'm sure she's just fine," I mumbled as I watched him make room for the cream cheese in the fridge.

He stopped in his task and pulled his upper body from out of it's place. "You two didn't get in another argument, did you?" he asked curiously. I shook my head with a frown on my face. He gave me a look. "Honest?"

I nodded my head. "Honest. We still see each other at school and talk," I assured him. "We just don't hang out as much." Ever since I started dating Shelby, I added in my head.

"Not since you started dating, Champ," he said as if he read my mind, using the name he always called Shelby when she was around. He closed the fridges door and leaned back against it in thought.

We stood in complete silence for awhile until I couldn't take the buzzing of the lights above anymore. "What are you thinking about?" I asked cautiously. My voice seemed to break him out of his stupor and he shook his head, as if to clear the fog in his brain.

"Nothing, it's ridiculous," he waved away my curiosity and started stashing his cream cheese away. I watched him until I knew he was going to give in and smiled to myself when he sighed in exasperation and closed the machines door to lean on it again. "I just... I always thought you two were together," he explained softly.

I looked at him in confusion. "Shelby and I _are_ together."

"No, no. Not you and Shelby... you and Sam," he specified. My eyes went wide and my jaw dropped. That _is_ ridiculous! Sam and I are totally opposite and it's difficult keeping her in check as a friend, but as a girlfriend? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!

"What?!" I exclaimed. "What made you think that?!"

"Well.. I mean.. uhmmm," Spencer stuttered, looking completely uncomfortable and out of his element.

"Spencer! Tell me!" I urged him.

He blew up and started rambling. "The way you guys are just so perfect for each other. You look after her and make sure she doesn't get into too much trouble and in return she has your back and keeps everyone off of it. The way she's mean, aggressive, and abrasive to everyone but when it comes to you she listens, cares, and actually shows her sensitive side. And she always gives you this look, too. I see it when she thinks no one is watching. It's the way her eyes sparkle when she sees you and a huge smile forms on her lips. The way you yelled for her, instead of Freddie, when Lewbert's crazy ex-girlfriend was chasing after you around the hotel. The way she came to your rescue and smacked her in the face with a pineapple. It's all the little things." He finally ended, trailing off and catching his breath.

I just stood there and stared at him as the things he just said was absorbed into my brain. Each sentence was pulled apart and dissected and examined at close range. Before I could think everything through, he tossed in one last thing.

"You two are complete opposites, but it seems like everything she isn't _you_ are and vice versa. You two just complete each other in a way no other two people could." With that he shrugged his shoulders and went back to his task while I ambled to the small dining table and took an ungraceful plop in one of the chairs.

"Shelby and I are complete opposites, too," I reasoned, whether it was to myself or to Spencer it didn't matter because truth of the matter was Spencer was right.

I pushed that thought to the back of my mind though. Shelby was gonna be here any minute and I needed to get ready.

**AN**: next chapter will have some interaction between the girls. I promise. Please, leave a review? It makes me happy =)


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything or anyone you recognize. The lyrics is from the song _I May Never Find_ by Chris Brown, which I obviously also don't own. One of the many songs that I just _love_. It's beautiful. Listen to it if you haven't already.

**AN**: sorry, sorry! I lied. I _thought_ I had this all completed, but I didn't. I suck, I know. School's almost over though!! yay!! =D anyway... Happy Reading!

– **Sam's POV –**

Today, tonight, a few hours ago, whatever, was my birthday, but it also marked the day seven months ago when Carly and Shelby started dating. Ha. That sucks.

It was late, probably around two in the morning, and I was sitting on my roof with a forty ounce of brew nestled in between my thighs. The weather was cold and crisp, but it made me feel alive. Sure, I would shiver every time a breeze blew, but after drinking about half a bottle of my beer I was feeling warm and numb inside. It was a beautiful night. There weren't any clouds in the sky and the stars were actually twinkling brightly despite the air pollution that usually ran through Seattle.

I took in a deep breath and settled back onto the blanket I laid out on the roof, along with a pillow. I loved the way my body temperature and the air going in and out of my lungs with each breath contrasted against the other.

After persuading my cousin to buy me a bottle of Mickey's I climbed up the guava tree in my backyard, with the beer, blanket, and pillow stuffed inside my backpack, I settled on the roof and I stayed there since then. So I was up there for about three hours, give or take. I was just enjoying the city lights out in the distance, starry night out in the sky, and thinking about things in my head.

It's rather awesome being by myself now and days. I wouldn't call myself a loner, despite the fact that I don't really talk to anyone but Freddie anymore I would say that I am. The occasional run-ins with Carly has been getting farther and fewer in between, I feel like she's avoiding me for some reason. The fact that it's my birthday, but she hasn't called me or said anything to me, even after we managed to bump into each other in the hall way, makes me feel like complete and total shit.

I pulled the bottle from in between my legs and started rolling it around on my stomach instead. I could feel the little droplets of water that sweat through the glass cling onto my shirt and seep through it. I felt my stomach muscles clench at the cool touch but welcomed it on my heated skin.

I kept doing this for a while as the possibilities of what Carly and Shelby would be doing raced through my head. Would they be making love? I doubt that, since Carly's a firm believer in either waiting for 'the one' or waiting until after marriage. But god, what if she's already in love with her? It already sucks knowing that she's _falling_ for her, but what if she's already _in love_ with her? Oh my god, just thinking of that possibility makes me want to jump off of this roof.

Before I could do that though, a buzzing sound broke me off of my thoughts followed by a soft, melodic tune and lyrics.

"_I have no worries, once I step into your presence._

_You have a way of helping me see that everything's OK,_

_babe. What else can I say? I really love the way you make_

_me feel inside, you wonder why my spirit is so happy. You_

_touched my heart every part whenever you speak to me,_

_I love what we have going on. I may never find another_

_one like you for me."_

I just sat there, listening to the lyrics of the ring tone I set for Carly. It didn't occur to me that I wasn't dreaming of her calling until the music stopped and started again. I sat up quickly and searched for my phone with a foggy mind.

"'ello?" I asked in a groggy and somewhat slurred voice after I found my phone.

"Sam! Where are you?" Her voice sounded a bit raspy.

"At 'ome," I said through a yawn. Great, the time she finally calls me I get all tired. Stupid alcohol, why do you have to fail me at such a time?!

"No you're not!" She snapped. The sudden outburst of her voice gave me a headache and suddenly I didn't want to talk to her anymore. She hasn't even said happy birthday to me yet!

"Whadaya want, Shay?" I asked tiredly. If I was standing outside of my own body, I would have thought that the question came out in an annoyed tone, but seeing as I was buzzed and tired I didn't care, much.

"Where are you? I can hear your voice, but I can't see you." If I'd been sober or listen hard enough, I would have heard her voice first, then hear her voice float through the receiving end. Since I wasn't sober nor listening too hard I didn't notice that her voice was floating up from my window, where her head was floating around in midair.

"I'm on the woof," I slurred.

"It's freezing, why are you on the roof?" I heard her mumble through the phone.

"Nah uh! It's warm. It feels gooooood," I giggled as I dragged out the O's and felt it tickling my throat.

"I'll be up there in a bit! Don't do something stupid like jump off the roof," Carly scolded like a mother to her child.

"Yes mother dearest," I giggled again and rolled onto my side after she hung up and the dial tone rang in my ears. "Ca-ca-carrrrrrrly!" I called out to her when I heard the leaves rustling wildly, indicating that Carly was on her way up.

"What?" Her voice sounded labored and I giggled.

"Carrrrrrrly," I said in a sing-song kind of way.

"What?" She shrieked. Sounded kind of annoyed.

"Jeez, blow my ear drums, why don't you?" I chuckled as I rolled around on the blanket.

"Why are you up here in the middle of the night? It's like three in the mornin!" Carly reprimanded after she pulled herself off of the flimsy tree branch and onto the roof. "Sheesh," she huffed after she plopped down right next to me, "you've gotta be one hell of a spider monkey to pull yourself up that tree!"

"Ha... spider monkey," I said in awe, "I'd be the most awesome spider monkey in the world!"

"You'd be _my_ awesome spider monkey," she said affectionately. My reaction time was slow, but when the compliment registered in my brain I felt my already heated cheeks overheat some more. A rather large and goofy grin spread across my face and as I turned to acknowledge her we came face to face. Just like that, everything – all the big and small problems in my life – seemed to disappear in a matter of seconds after chocolate brown landed on cobalt blue. She stared intently, as if she was seeing right through me, and I just stared at her through hazy eyes. Her eyes narrowed then and she leaned in closer to me. My eyes fluttered closed on its own accord and I waited, for what I thought she was going to do, but got nothing. Instead I heard her sniff deeply. "Have you been drinking?!" she practically shrieked. My eyes shot wide open at being caught – not like I hid the bottle or anything, it was sitting right there – and instantly locked onto angry eyes.

"Uhhh..." I dragged out, scared to answer. "Maybe?"

"Ugh, Sam!" she said in disgust as she moved away from me. "Maybe from you is always a yes," she sighed. "What's the special occasion, anyway?" After she asked this question, I turned onto my back – away from her – and stared up into the cloudless Seattle sky. So that confirms it, she really did forget about my birthday.

"I dunno," I shrugged. "I guess today was a special day because it's your seven months with Shelby," I explained quietly. That sounded lame to my own ears. But who cares.

"Special my ass," Carly scoffed, mimicking my position. I could feel body heat rolling off of her and coming into contact with me, we were so close. I turned my head towards her and furrowed my eyebrows. "She hasn't said or mentioned anything about why today would be special," she spat out, I shook my head internally at how ironic the situation was. "I don't know what's wrong with her. She's been acting kinda like a jerk lately," she admitted with a sigh and frown on her beautiful features.

I did what I always did when she frowned and kissed the pad of my thumb before leaning over her and smoothing the creases away as I muttered, "Damn it, what did I tell you about frowning?"

"Pretty people shouldn't frown because it makes them look like a skunkbag," she cited with the roll of her eyes.

"Yes, sorta, but I'm pretty sure I used the B-word rather than skunkbag. But considering this is you, and you're beautiful, it just makes you even cuter... but I don't know what I'm saying," I rambled on before I realized what I just said so I stopped myself. I saw her blush and look away. I cleared my throat as I remembered snippets of what she said earlier and settled back down on my back. "So what's going on in your relationship?" _Do I have to kick her ass?_

She sighed and laced her fingers behind her head, eyes staring up into the dark sky. "I don't know... She seems kinda... distant now."

I flipped onto my side, snuggling closely to her, and propped my head in the palm of my hands as I bent my elbows. "For why?" I asked quietly, playing with a strand of her dark hair.

She looked up at me confused. "Why what?"

"Why's she being all distant, duh," I stated like it was obvious, all the while my eyes were focused on what my fingers were doing. I was mesmerized as I picked up strands of her hair and watched as the shiny and soft strands slid off of my fingers through the gaps.

"I don't know!" she exasperated, throwing her hands out, efficiently knocking my hands away from her hair. "She's been keeping to herself since I told her what Spencer said to me," she said quietly, more to herself than to me. "It's not like it's true or anything! Opposites attract, true, and she's the opposite of me, so how can we not be perfect for each other? Sure she doesn't have your specific characteristics, which are totally different from mine, but she's the negative to my positive!" She rambled on, gesturing with her hands wildly as words spewed from her mouth. I tried to take everything in, but she was speaking so fast and I had to dodge her flailing limbs a few times so I wouldn't get hit in the face. The only thing that stuck out to me was when she said _you_ as in _me_ but I didn't understand the whole back story on what she was rambling on about.

"Carly!" I said. She kept on mumbling and gesturing on about whatever. "CARLY!" I exclaimed. "OW!" I cried when one of her fingers poked me in the eye. I fell onto my back and covered the eye with both hands as tears leaked out.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Sam!" Carly apologized, hounding over me as she lightly wrapped her fingers around my wrist and tried to pry it away from my face. I held my hands where they were and stared at her through one blurry blue eye.

"Man! You're not even drunk but you're dangerous as hell," I said with a laugh as she hovered over me.

"Sorry," she apologized sheepishly with concerned eyes. "Are you okay?" She squeezed my wrist slightly and I nodded my head.

"I'm fine," I answered then grinned mischievously internally as a scheme crossed my mind. "I don't know about my eye though," I said. We both held our breaths as I slowly removed my hands from my eye and she gasped when I opened it just a crack.

"Oh my gosh! It's so red," she gasped as she grabbed onto my wrists and pulled them to the side as she leaned in to take a closer look. I closed my one bad eye, raised my good eye's eyebrow and stared at her. "What?" She asked after realizing she couldn't look at my eye anymore.

"How can you possibly know how red it is when it's so dark out?" I asked like she was crazy, with a bit of smugness mixed in. She mumbled something under her breath. "What? I can't hear you, speak up, Cupcake," I said, tilting my head towards her a bit.

"I said, 'Because I know your eyes'," she repeated herself, eyes not meeting mine but moving all over my face. "It's clear blue when you're happy and content, kinda smokey and darker when you find some ham in the fridge or spot something you really want," she explained with the shrug of her shoulder. "And the fact that there's a full moon out helps, too. Duh," she added quickly, as if she was trying to wave away what she had said earlier.

"Riiiiight," I said, dragging out the I's. "It stings!" I whined when I tried to open my eye but the breeze made it feel like thousands of pins were poking my eye at the same time, making tears form even more. "Make it stop," I mumbled, rubbing the back of my right hand against closed eyelids.

I heard her chuckle before her warm fingers wrapped around my wrist again and pulled it away. I kept both of my eyes closed until I felt something warm and soft being planted against my messed up eye. Upon contact I felt tingles, starting from my eyelid and spreading throughout my body to my fingertips and toes, erupting like... like... a volcano spewing it's lava everywhere. I felt this before, the first and only time Carly kissed the corner of my mouth when she was really aiming for my cheek in farewell. "Feel better?" My eyes fluttered open and landed on Carly's shy smile as brown eyes gazed at me under thick eyelashes.

I nodded dumbly, the tingly sensations magnifying tenfold when the realization of her really kissing my eyelid swam through my brain cells. "Much," I said breathlessly, feeling my buzz enhance along with the tingles running throughout my nervous system. We sat there for awhile, just staring at each other, until my phone's alarm went off. The shrill of the alarm sounded loud against the still and dead night, it broke our gaze and made us both jump.

"Why's your alarm set to 4o'clock in the morning?" she asked curiously after I turned the alarm off and tossed it back onto the blanket. In answer, I sat up, bent my legs until my thighs pressed against my chest and wrapped my arms around my shin. I stared up at the clear sky in awe with one eye squinting slightly. "Wow...," Carly said quietly when she looked up into the sky, too.

Dozens of comets showered the skies in white streaks, one after the other. After counting ten of them in my head, I cleared my throat. "Tell me what's been bothering you," I said, staring up into the sky. I felt her eyes on me, but didn't turn her way, I just kept on counting the showering comets. After counting another five, her gaze was taken off of me and turned back to the skies.

I listened as she told me about her worries, how she was confused but really felt like she was falling for her.

_In love_ with her. God, that sucked for me.

After she was done I gave her advice on how to make things work. Ideas of what she could do. It hurt me to help her stay with another person, who wasn't me, but I guess that's how it is. If she's falling in love, she's got to be happy, right? Right.

That's all I ever wanted for her.

**AN**: aww, sam! What's wrong with you?! Fight for your woman, damn it! Gahhh. I love you anyway. Always! Muah* So I've been stuck on an author for like... this whole week. Kim Pritekel. She has some awesome books published and even more awesome stories posted online. If you're interested in reading her stuff tell me and I'll link you to her site =) what else.. oh yeah, not like anyone cares but I get to actually _meet_ Emily Osment on Sunday (042510), I'm talking hug and smell and _feel_ her here, people! Lmfao. Anyway.. review, please? I hope everyone liked their interaction. I know it wasn't much.. but still.. lala.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer**: I don't own iCarly or anything of relation, except a poster of Carly. Whoot!

**AN**: Holy crapcicles, Batman! I'm SO sorry it's taken so long to update this thing. Actually, I'm so very sorry for disappearing altogether. This thing called life's been crazy lately. Well not really, I was just making it crazy. Anyway! Here's another chapter. Thank you to all my lovely reviewers! I hope I haven't lost anyone as the months ticked on by. If you're a new reader, HELLO! Hope you've enjoyed the story so far. Here's a short little installment for you. It's been sitting there for a while, and I've been meaning to make it longer, but I'll just save that for next chapter ;) Happy Reading.

**Chapter 8**

I was in a deep, almost peaceful, sleep when I was jolted awake by an annoying beeping sound that seemed to get louder with each interval. Heart pounding against chest I sat up and looked around wildly at my surroundings as I tried to calm my breathing. The beeping sound broke through the haze and I realized that it was my digital alarm clock doing its job. Slamming my palm against the large snooze button I dug the heel of my hands into my eyes and rubbed hard. I felt like shit and had no recollection of how I even got home.

I remember being out with Shelby, even though it was a school night, because it was our seven months together. Everything was going so smoothly and then it just didn't. It was like smooth sailing until we hit a huge wave that rocked everything. It was so sudden I didn't see it coming, the calm before the storm. One minute I was warm and content, falling in a deep trance as she whispered sweet nothings into my ear as we watched a band play at the restaurant we were at, then the next I fell over her seat that she had vacated in a quickness. When I looked over at her she looked pissed off and was yanking her leather jacket off of her wooden chair where it was hanging. I sat there for about ten minutes, wondering what in the hell just happened, replaying the last couple minutes in my head until realization dawned on me. By the time I got outside her red convertible was long gone and a limo was just pulling in front of the restaurant. I wasn't surprised when John, Shelby's chauffeur, stepped out and opened the door for me. Shelby _would_ leave me in the middle of the city, but she'd make sure I had a ride home.

When I got home I went straight to bed and tried to sleep everything off, but that didn't happen. My mind was working a mile a minute, jumping from one thing to another, working non-stop. I tossed and turned for a few hours before giving up on sleep altogether and deciding to get out of the house to clear my head. The next thing I knew I was in my black 1966 Shelby GT Mustang – that Spencer built from the ground up thanks to Socko and his family – driving to Sam's house while the world was peacefully sleeping. When I got to her house, I didn't expect her mom to open the door, or be fully clothed while she did so. Sandra Puckett was notoriously known for being in a bikini day and night, after all. After finding Sam on her roof, everything after that was just a blur. Sam drinking, being buzzed, and staring up into the night's sky as asteroids rained down...

I shook my head from those thoughts and got ready for school.

"Hey Carly," Freddie's deep voice said from behind me. I turned my head to look at him over my shoulders and greeted him with a smile. The smile turned into a thoughtful frown when I noticed him standing there with a plastic grocery bag filled with, what looked like, bags of beef jerky, cooked bacon and fried chicken in a zip-loc bag, and boxes of fat cakes. "It's for Sam," he explained at the look on my face.

"Why would you get Sam a bag full of her faves?" I asked, fully turning around leaning back against my locker.

"Because I wasn't at school yesterday to give it to her," he explained slowly, dark eyebrows meeting in the middle. I just continued to stare at him expectantly, as nothing was making sense to me. "Oh my gosh, don't tell me you forgot, Carly!" he exclaimed with wide eyes, mouth hanging open.

"Forgot what?" I asked, totally clueless. He shook his head and pulled out his PearPhone. I watched him as he punched in numbers to unlock his keypad and flick through his options. He seemed to find the one he was looking for because he tapped on it with his thumb, waited until it loaded, and turned the screen so I could see. It was the calender app, and April 17th was highlighted. "Okay...?" I stated, asked, trailed off. He shook his head again and tapped the note at the bottom of the calender with his other hand.

_SAM PUCKETT'S BIRTHDAY! GET ME SOME GOOD STUFF, PRINCE OF THE NUBS!_

"Oh my god...," I said under my breath. "Oh my god! I was just with her last night and I didn't even say anything!" I exclaimed, wide eyed and feeling like a horrible friend altogether. "I'm such a horrible friend!" I said, panicking, as I tried to figure out a way to make it up to her. "What am I gonna do!" I yelled at Freddie. He jumped and took a step back.

"I don't know, but I'm sure you'll think of something," he shrugged. No help at all!

"No wonder she was drinking last night," I mumbled to myself as I turned back around and gave my attention to my locker, exchanging the books I needed for the ones I didn't need until later.

"What? She drank last night!" Freddie gasped. I looked behind me and nodded my head slowly. "Ugh, I told her not to, since her mom was gonna take her out," he shook his head solemnly. No wonder Sandra was actually covered up last night. I felt like an even bigger asshole because her mom actually remembered, when she's usually clueless, and I didn't! "She was supposed to call me if she did, though," he said with a frown. Hearing this made me frown. Since when did Freddie and Sam start hanging out so much? I swallowed down the uneasy feeling of jealousy I felt starting to flow through my veins. Being jealous of their newly bonded likelihood wasn't going to change the fact that I forgot her birthday altogether.

"Why? You keep her company when she does?" I asked calmly after closing my locker and leaning back against it, bag strap hitched high on one shoulder and both arms crossed over my chest. When he didn't say anything for a while, just staring at me as if he was trying to figure something out, I raised a questioning eyebrow.

He finally cleared his throat and looked uneasy under my scrutiny. He shrugged. "Recently, yeah. I actually drink wine cooler while she drinks her forty," he answered unsure, as if he was afraid of what I'd do.

"You _drink_, too?" I asked, flabbergasted. "With Sam?" He nodded. My eyebrows met in the middle, frowned, as I thought things through. Why in the world would Sam and Freddie drink together, much less be around each other without him getting injured verbally and physically. As memories of the last few months flashed through my head when the two of them were together, I only saw them closer than normal, always leaning into the others space and talking quietly amongst themselves.

"What?" he asked uneasily under my intense stare.

"Is there something going on between you and Sam?" I asked seriously with narrowed eyes as I felt myself going green with jealousy. Why the hell would I be jealous for? I've already got Shelby. I pushed the feeling away and continued to stare at Freddie.

"What?" he sputtered, mouth agape, eyes wide, and dropping the hold he had on the bag of goodies. "NO!" he exclaimed loudly as the bag tipped over and the contents inside spilled out. "No, no, no, no!" he shook his head vehemently. "Are you kidding me?" he asked in a high pitched voice. "You're so blind, Carls. You really need to be more aware of your 'best' friend," he said sadly, air-quoting best, as he shook his head.

"What do you mean!" I demanded as he bent down slightly to retrieve the treats that he dropped earlier, cutting off the conversation.

"Nothing," he said simply before turning his attention to his PearPod that just vibrated. He read the message over once before reading it out to me. "'I'm not going to school today, I feel like shit'," he read before staring up at me. "Why don't you go to her house after school and help her feel better," he said, his eyes pinning me down with an intense look. I was truly taken aback as I'd never been on the receiving end of Freddie's disapproving looks. That look was usually reserved for Sam.

"Uhhh," I trailed off before clearing my throat. "Yeah, sure. I'll do that." I said, nodding my head slowly.

"Give this to her for me, too. I've got a ceramics class with my mom after school today," he explained as he handed the bag full of goodies to me. I nodded my head and grabbed the bag from him. "Open your eyes, Shay," he said quietly before taking a step back and going on about his business as if he didn't just tell me to do something.


End file.
